Before reading another word, do yourself a favor. Bookmark this story, print it, save it somehow. That way, in seven months, you can come back to review the stunning accuracy of the Sporting News' baseball prediction team.

Or, if our writers' and editors' picks prove as questionable as last year (hey, the Chicago Cubs will make the playoffs again someday), you can enjoy a big laugh. Sporting News' 2011 playoff predictions, preseason edition:

AL Division Series

Boston Red Sox over Chicago White Sox. After 10 seasons, Adam Dunn finally will make the playoffs. His "reward" will be a first-round matchup against the majors' best team, which will live up to all the preseason hype that was fueled by the additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford.

The White Sox will have done well to outlast the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers in baseball's best divisional race. Dunn will lead the way, too, by providing Chicago much-needed power from the left side and hitting somewhere between 38 and 46 homers (which he has done for the past seven seasons).

Once in the playoffs, the Red Sox will make the most of the home-field advantage gained by posting the majors' best record. In other words, prepare to see a month of those obnoxious close-ups of Jonathan Papelbon staring into the camera, er, the catcher's mitt.

Texas Rangers over New York Yankees (wild card). The difference in this rematch is that the Rangers won't have Cliff Lee. But neither will the Yankees. While the back of the New York's rotation will hold up during the season, it will be exposed by Texas' young and athletic lineup in October. The Rangers will overcome their disappointing offseason on the strength of the game's best defense and an offense that features equal parts power and speed with Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Mike Young and Adrian Beltre.

Recommended On The Web

NL Division Series

Philadelphia Phillies over Milwaukee Brewers (wild card).

Once he makes his way back from a broken rib, Zack Greinke won't disappoint. Greinke and fellow AL alum Shaun Marcum will discover that negotiating NL lineups that don't include a DH can do wonders for their ERAs. Powered by their revamped rotation and a lineup of sluggers led by Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, the Brewers will squeak past the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card race.

The Phillies' most daunting challenge will be reaching the playoffs after they begin the season at far less than 100 percent. Chase Utley, Brad Lidge and Domonic Brown are out indefinitely, and Placido Polanco is nursing a tender elbow. The good news: The rotation looks strong enough to shoulder the burden of a diminished offense. And once October arrives, the fab four really will take over.

San Francisco Giants over Cincinnati Reds. This year, the Reds won't be no-hit in the NLDS opener, and they won't be swept. They might even have home-field advantage after overpowering the NL Central with a lineup that continues to improve and with one of the game's most exciting players, heat-throwing lefthander Aroldis Chapman.

The World Series champions will begin this season with a deeper lineup, thanks to a slimmed-down Pablo Sandoval, a healthy Freddy Sanchez, the return of Mark DeRosa and a full season from emerging superstar Buster Posey. The Giants' edge, however, remains their pitching staff—and the confidence they gained last fall. "They can feed off the confidence of pitching lights-out in the postseason already," DeRosa says. As deep as Cincinnati's rotation is, it has no one to match up against Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain.

AL Championship Series

Red Sox over Rangers. Lefthanders Jon Lester and C.J. Wilson will offer a potential playoff preview when they face off on opening day in Arlington, Texas, on Friday. The Rangers had better enjoy the weekend's festivities to celebrate the franchise's first pennant because Boston is primed to make Texas' reign a short one. As dynamic as the Rangers' lineup is, the Red Sox are more experienced and deeper after the additions of Gonzalez and Crawford. Boston also has the edge at all five spots in the rotation—even after Texas returns to full strength.

NL Championship Series

Phillies over Giants. After losing twice to the Giants in the World Series, Lee will score his revenge. So will the Phillies in this NLCS rematch.

World Series

Red Sox over Phillies. Not even Roy Halladay and Co. will be able to stop the lineup that never stops grinding, as the Red Sox will win their third championship in eight seasons. No other club has won more than one in that span. Given their youth and resources, don't be surprised if the Red Sox are predicted to repeat in 2012.